Word Study
carboniferous
CIDE DICTIONARY
carboniferous, a. [Carbon + -ferous.].
Producing or containing carbon or coal. [1913 Webster]
Carboniferous age (Geol.), the age immediately following the Devonian , or Age of fishes , and characterized by the vegetation which formed the coal beds. This age embraces three periods, the Subcarboniferous , the Carboniferous , and Permian . See Age of acrogens , under Acrogen . -- Carboniferous formation (Geol.), the series of rocks (including sandstones, shales, limestones, and conglomerates, with beds of coal) which make up the strata of the Carboniferous age or Carboniferous period . See the Diagram under Geology .
OXFORD DICTIONARY
carboniferous, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 producing coal.
2 (Carboniferous) Geol. of or relating to the fifth period in the Palaeozoic era, with evidence of the first reptiles and extensive coal-forming swamp forests.
--adj.
1 producing coal.
2 (Carboniferous) Geol. of or relating to the fifth period in the Palaeozoic era, with evidence of the first reptiles and extensive coal-forming swamp forests.
Usage
Cf. Appendix II.
--n. (Carboniferous) Geol. this period or system.
--n. (Carboniferous) Geol. this period or system.
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